Pimara-operated Tampere contract tops winter road satisfaction survey with biggest year-on-year gain

According to a press release on ePressi, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (Väylävirasto) has published results of its winter road user satisfaction survey, identifying top-performing maintenance contracts and the biggest year-on-year improvements.

Among the most demanding maintenance contracts, Tampere’s area operated by Pimara Väyläpalvelut Oy earned the highest satisfaction scores. Tampere led the pack. In the demanding category Destia Oy’s contracts in Hämeenlinna and Porvoo ranked best. Winners in the basic maintenance class included Destia Oy in Kangasala, YIT Road Oy in Veteli and Terranor Oy in Pieksämäki.

Tampere’s very demanding contract also showed the largest year-on-year improvement, while Pimara’s Orivesi and Heinola contracts recorded the biggest gains in the demanding class. In the basic class, Harjavalta (Destia Oy), Merikarvia (YIT Road Oy) and Pieksämäki (Terranor Oy) posted the largest improvements.

The survey singled out the South Ostrobothnia regional vitality centre for the largest improvement in heavy-vehicle drivers’ satisfaction; contractors active there include Destia Oy, YIT Road Oy and Terranor Oy. The survey covers 79 maintenance contracts in total, typically managed under five-year agreements and tendered by regional vitality centres with defined service levels and quality requirements. Results feed into incentive schemes and help guide operational development.

"Last winter was very different from the previous one and fell into three distinct phases," said Jarkko Pirinen, road maintenance specialist at Väylävirasto. He pointed to a wet and changeable start, a period of widespread severe cold in January–February, and a rapid spring as factors that affected workload and the consistency of service. He added that contractor choices — staffing, equipment, timing of measures and local knowledge — play a major role in how drivers experience snow removal, anti-icing and surface smoothing on the roads.

Väylävirasto’s ranking combines indices for main roads and other roads to produce an overall private motorist satisfaction score; measures of improvement compare the latest results with a three-year average and apply minimum thresholds before top performers are recognised.